Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2013, 14(4), p.1353-1363
p.1336-1346 DOI: 10.5513/JCEA01/14.4.1354
Effect of driving wheel type on drawbar pull of
tractor
Vplyv typu hnacích kolies na ťahovú silu traktora
Rudolf ABRAHÁM, Radoslav MAJDAN, Miroslav MOJŽIŠ
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Transport and
Handling, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic, e-mail: [email protected]
*correspondence
Abstract
This paper is focused on the possibility of increasing the drawbar pull of agricultural
tractor on the soil and grass-covered surface. From our perspective, we have chosen
one available and the cheapest way, i.e. steel boots for tyres of small tractors, and
this was compared with a newly developed system of auto-extensible blades next to
the wheel. The tractor with steel boots and auto-extensible blades reached a higher
drawbar pull on average by 70 % in comparison with tyres.
Keywords: tractor tyres, wheel equipped with auto-extensible blades, steel boot,
force sensor
Abstrakt
Príspevok je zameraný na možnosti zvýšenia ťahovej sily poľnohospodárskeho
traktora na pôde a zatrávnenom povrchu. Z nášho pohľadu sme si vybrali jeden
dostupný a najlacnejší spôsob, a to oceľové návleky na pneumatiky pre malotraktory,
a ten sme porovnali s novo vyvinutým systémom automatického vysúvania lopatiek
vedľa kolesa. Traktor s oceľovými návlekmi a automaticky vysúvacími lopatkovými
kolesami dosiahol vyššie ťahové sily v priemerne o 70 % v porovnaní s
pneumatikami.
Kľúčové slová: traktorové pneumatiky, automaticky vysúvacie lopatkové koleso,
oceľový návlek, snímač sily
Detailed abstract
Merania boli uskutočňované v októbri roku 2012 pri priemernej pôdnej vlhkosti 22 %
na pôdnom type černozem s priemernou objemovou hmotnosťou 1,33 g.cm -3. Pôda
bola po zbere uhoriek a bola pomerne vlhká napriek suchému počasiu. Meranie
ťahovej sily bolo zabezpečované meracou a záznamovou technikou Hydac 2020.
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Meranie ťahovej sily, resp. brzdenie malotraktora Mini 070 bolo realizované
malotraktorom T4K10 postupným pribrzďovaním až do 100% preklzu hnacích kolies.
Automaticky vysúvacie lopatkové kolesá boli vyvinuté na Katedre dopravy a
manipulácie pre zadné hnacie kolesá traktora MINI 070. Ich veľkou výhodou je, že sa
nemusia demontovať z traktora pri prejazde po ceste a taktiež to, že sa automaticky
vysúvajú pri preklze hnacích kolies traktora. Opätovné sklopenie záberových lopatiek
nastáva pri spätnom chode traktora. Traktor nemusí byť vybavený prídavnými
závažiami, lebo tie do určitej miery nahrádzajú lopatkové kolesá.
Ťahové sily traktora boli porovnané tiež pri meraniach s pneumatikami a oceľovými
návlekmi. Zariadenie na zvýšenie ťahovej sily, umiestnené na obvode kolesa, ako sa
odborne návleky nazývajú, umožňujú vďaka dokonalejšej adhézii s podložkou lepšie
využiť výkon daného stroja a tým zvýšiť jeho ťahovú silu na pôde.
Merania boli uskutočňované na dvoch povrchoch a to na pôde a na tráve. Elektrický
signál zo snímača sily typu EMS 150 bol zazanamenávaný digitálnou záznamovou
jednotkou HMG 2020. Snímač sily je zapojený medzi brzdiaci traktor T4K10 a
meraný traktor MINI 070 prostredníctvom reťaze.
Podľa už prezentovaných výsledkov možno konštatovať, že najlacnejšie a
najefektívnejšie zvýšenie ťahovej sily možno dosiahnuť prostredníctvom oceľových
návlekov, ktoré sú komerčne vyrábané rôznymi firmami. No zároveň ich nedostatkom
ostávajú dva faktory a to, že nemajú takmer žiadnu samočistiacu schopnosť a
pomerne rýchlo sa zanášajú a po ďalšie, že pri prejazde po tvrdom podklade je
značný výskyt porúch prevodového systému malotraktorov a preto ich treba ešte na
poli demontovať. V druhom variante, ktorý sa dá použiť aj u ťažších traktorov je
výhodou lepšia samočistiaca schopnosť lopatiek kolesa a taktiež to, že sa dajú
sklopiť jednoduchou jazdou vzad. Následne po dokončení práce a po príjazde na
dvor ich však treba dôkladne očistiť, najlepšie tlakovou vodou, lebo po zaschnutí
hliny sa zamedzí vyklápaniu lopatiek. Treba však poznamenať skutočnosť, ktorá
hovorí v prospech návlekov, a hoci to, že šípové lopatky mali rovnakú záberovú
plochu ako lopatky výsuvného lopatkového kolesa, ale pri výsuvných lopatkových
kolesách zaberali aj pneumatiky a predsa mali porovnateľné výsledky ťahovej sily.
Ťahové sily na druhom prevodovom stupni boli takmer o 3% vyššie, čo však platí iba
na pôde a tráve, ale nie na pevnom povrchu, kde je vyšší súčiniteľ adhézie.
Traktor s oceľovými návlekmi a automaticky vysúvacími lopatkovými kolesami
dosiahol o dve tretiny vyššie ťahové sily v porovnaní s pneumatikami.
Introduction
The testing of tractors used in agriculture is continuously increasing because these
machines directly influence the results of agricultural production (Hujo et al., 2012 a).
Agricultural tractors are losing a lot of energy by the slip of driving wheels. To reduce
the tyre slip, tractors are loaded with a heavy weight, which increases the drawbar
pull but excessively increases soil compaction and tyre wear on a hard surface
(Semetko, 1998; Semetko, 2004). Nowadays, diesel oil and petroleum products
belong to the most used fuels. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are non-renewable and
exhaustible sources of energy (Müllerová et al., 2012). The increase of tractor
drawbar pull influences the fuel consumption and emissions of exhaust gases.
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To increase the drawbar pull and to reduce the soil compaction, some manufacturers
recommend variable tyre inflation. Tyres are deflated to a pressure of 50 kPa on the
soil, and when moving on the road, they are inflated again to the required pressure.
This method is mainly based on research results, which show an average decrease
of contact pressure on the soil at an inflation pressure of 6 psi by about one-third in
comparison with tyres inflated to 18 psi, Figure 1 (Schuler et al., 2000).
Figure 6. The same tire inflated to low and high pressures. At low tire pressure,
stresses concentrate
nearthe
the edge
of the tire andtyre
represent
a smaller
area,
Figure 1: Pressurehighest
process
in psi of
identical
with
different
filling pressures
whereas at higher inflation pressures, higher stresses concentrate below the center
al.,10:2000)
of the tire and occupy a(Schuler
larger area. Fromet
chapter
"Soil Compaction" by R. T.
Schuler, W. W. Casady, and R. L. Raper, 2000, in Conservation Tillage Systems and
Management, MWPS-45, 2nd ed., p. 74.
Negative effects of soil compaction have been observed for several years at the
Department of Transport and Handling. Possible solutions are presented in two
variants, which were compared by us in terms of drawbar pull. The first option
consists of wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades developed at the
Department of Transport and Handling, and the second are steel boots that are used
successfully on small tractors today.
Materials and Methods
Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades
Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades have been developed at the
Department of Transport and Handling for the rear driving wheels of a tractor MINI
070. Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades were designed according to the
works published by Sloboda et al. (2008) and Jablonický et al. (2012). A big
advantage is that they do not have to be removed from the tractor when passing on
the road and also that they are automatically extended when the tractor driving
wheels are slipping. Re-folding of driving blades occurs with the reverse movement of
the tractor. The tractor needs not be equipped with additional load weights because
they are replaced by wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades. Wheels equipped
with auto-extensible blades are mounted to the wheel disc, and according to Figure 2
a, b, they consist of the following parts.
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Figure 2 a, b: Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades
1 – support tube, 2 – locking tab, 3 – bracket fastening the mechanism to the wheel
disc, 4 – spacer plates, 5 – blade, 6 – driving disc, 7 – blade control disc, 8 – guide
pin, 9 – locking hole, 10 – blade pin, 11 – buffer plate
A support tube (1) is a basic part of the whole mechanism. It enables the remaining
parts of the whole mechanism to be attached to each other. On the support tube,
there are welded three locking tabs (2), three brackets (3) by which the whole
mechanism is connected to the tractor wheel, and a driving disc (6) containing blades
(5) mounted by means of ten pins. On the support tube, there are also welded spacer
plates (4) through which the mechanism position is centred with respect to the tractor
wheel disc. After the driving disc (6), the support tube contains a freely rotating disc
for the control of blades (7). The blade control disc contains on its circumference
twenty pressed guide pins by means of which blades move into the extended and
retracted positions. On the other side of the blade control disc, there are four locking
holes (9) to fix the position of blades in the retracted position. Three buffer plates
(11), attached by six screws to the locking tabs (2), fix the blade control disc on the
support tube.
Steel boots
A mechanism for increasing the drawbar pull, located at the periphery of the wheel, is
professionally called a boot. Because of better adhesion with a pad, it allows us to
better use the machine power and thus increase its drawbar pull on the soil. In Figure
3, boots consist of the following parts:
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Figure 3: Steel boots: 1 – traction strip, 2, 3 – strips, 4, 5 – clamping with two
clamping screws with M10 nuts
When installing the boots on wheels, the tractor must be lifted on the corresponding
wheel side. This is the main disadvantage when comparing with the previous system.
It consists of two strips (2), crossed according to the perimeter of the wheel tread. It
is the perimeter measured on an unloaded tyre. At the end of rims, there are welded
two perpendicular strips (3) with two holes for fastening screws (4). Traction strips
(1), bent at an angle of 120°, are welded to rims vertically, in symmetrical intervals.
Figure 4: Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades and steel boots mounted to
the tractor rear wheels
Tractor loading during the measurement of drawbar pull
The drawbar pull measurement of the tractor Mini 070 is performed by means of a
tensometric force sensor marked as 150 EMS, as shown in Figure 5. The force
sensor is connected between the loading tractor T4K10 and the measured tractor
MINI 070 through a chain, Figure 6. Measurements were performed on two surfaces
– the soil and grass. A digital recording unit HMG 2020 (Hydac GmbG, Germany)
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was used to record electrical signals from the force sensor. A description of HMG
2020 is presented in the work published by Kosiba et al. (2011).
PC
2
HMG
2020
UANS
+12V +24 V
PS 01
3
EMS
150
1
Figure 5: Connection diagram of drawbar pull measurement of Mini 070
1 – drawbar pull sensor EMS 150, 2 – measured tractor Mini 070, 3 – loading tractor
T4K10, HMG 2020 – digital recording device, UANS – universal battery source, PC –
personal computer, PS 01 – junction box
Figure 6: Measurement of drawbar pull
The drawbar pull measurement of Mini 070 is arranged chronologically in the
following points:
- connecting the tractor T4K10 to the MINI 070ʼ s hitch by the chain, which is
connected to the force sensor of drawbar pull;
- preparing the measuring device HMG 2020 for measuring;
- measuring the maximum drawbar pull while loading the tractor T4 K10 up to a 100
% slip of the Mini 070ʼ s driving wheels;
- measurements carried out on the soil and grass, with different versions of driving
wheels (tyres, wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades, steel boots) in the first
and second gear.
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Table 1: Specifications of the tractor Mini 070
Year of manufacture
1989
Construction weight
310 kg
1st gear
1.53 km*h-1
at rated engine speed
2nd gear
2.72 km*h-1
3,600 rpm
3rd gear
4.96 km*h-1
4th gear
14.40 km*h-1
Driving speed
Clutch
Dry, single plate, with direct mechanical shutoff
Petrol, four-stroke, air-cooled Briggs & Stratton
Number of cylinders
1
Displacement
400 cm3
Max. performance / rotation speed
8 kW / 3,600 rpm
Engine
Table 2: Specifications of the tractor T4K10
Year of manufacture
1966
Construction weight
820 kg
Two-stroke, air-cooled diesel
Number of cylinders
1
Displacement
900 cm3
Max. performance
10 kW
Engine
Results and Discussion
The obtained results presented in Figure 7 show the curve of the maximum drawbar
pull in the first gear on the soil and grass. Figure 7 shows only the selected time
period of two seconds, which represents an increase in drawbar pull and the
culmination of its maximum value. The total measurement time of drawbar pull was
20 seconds. Drawbar pull begins when all measurements are at about the same level
of 1,000 N corresponding to the pulling of released T4K10 in neutral. In the field of
increased drawbar pull, there were recorded different characteristics given by the
type of base and type of device to improve the transmission of drawbar pull. The
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highest oscillation of drawbar pull was observed when using the wheel equipped with
auto-extensible blades on a grassy surface. In this case, the short-term increase of
drawbar pull is given by the engagement of blades on a firmer grassy surface as
opposed to the field surface. In case of tyres and steel boots, the increase of drawbar
pull is smoother due to a more uniform arrangement of tyre contact surfaces and of
boots’ blades on the wheel circumference.
6,000
Tyres on the soil
Tyres on the grass
Steel boots on the soil
Steel boots on the grass
Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades on the soil
Wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades on the grass
Drawbar pull, N
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Figure 7: Course of drawbar pull of Mini 070 on the soil and grass
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
Measurement time, s
1.6
1.8
The obtained results presented in Figure 8 and 9 show the increase in drawbar pull
of the wheel equipped with auto-extensible blades and steel boots in comparison with
tyres. The values clearly show the increase of drawbar pull of both variants of metal
wheels on average by 70 % in comparison with tyres. The tractor reached a higher
drawbar pull in the second gear in all variants of driving wheels on average by 3 %.
This increase is possible only on the soil and grass where engine power is better
distributed on a yielding surface. In the first gear, the engine has a sufficient power
for slipping of drive wheels; however, in this condition, it shows a lower drawbar pull
in all cases. The maximum drawbar pull was achieved on the soil in case of steel
boots and on the grass in case of auto-extensible blades. These findings confirm the
theoretical basis for traction of wheel on a yielding surface. The higher the stiffness of
the base, the higher drawbar pull is reached by the tractor when using the blade
wheel, which needs a higher soil stiffness next to the wheel for reaching a higher
drawbar pull. On the contrary, on the soil that is less compacted than a grassy
surface, the tractor reaches higher drawbar pull with steel boots.
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3,500
2,901.9
3,000
2,722.8
2,755.0
2,859.0
Drawbar pull, N
2,500
2,000
1,866.0
1,531.2
1,500
1,000
500
0
Tyres
First gear
Second gear
Steel boots
Wheels equipped with
auto-extensible blades
Type of tractor wheels
Figure 8: Maximum values of drawbar pull of Mini 070 on the soil
3,500
3,080.3 3,161.1
Drawbar pull, N
3,000
2,999.1
2,903.7
2,500
2,000
1,742.0 1,766.5
1,500
1,000
500
0
Tyres
First gear
Second gear
Steel boots
Wheels equipped with
auto-extensible blades
Type of tractor wheels
Figure 9: Maximum values of drawbar pull of Mini 070 on the grass
Conclusion
Measurements were carried out in October 2012, at an average soil moisture of 22 %
on the soil type Chernozem, with an average bulk density of 1.33 g*cm-3. The soil
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was after harvesting of cucumbers and was relatively wet despite a dry weather. The
measurement of drawbar pull was performed by the measuring and recording
equipment Hydac 2020. The measurement of drawbar pull, or the loading of the small
tractor Mini 070, was performed by T4K10, by gradually loading up to 100 % slip of
driving wheels, as shown in Figure 5 and 6. According to the already presented
results, it can be concluded that the cheapest and most efficient increase of drawbar
pull is by using steel boots manufactured by various companies. At the same time,
there are two factors representing disadvantages, the first that steel boots have
almost no self-cleaning ability and are muddy relatively fast, and the second one that
when passing over a hard surface, there is a high incidence of failures of the
transmission system of small tractors, and therefore they should be removed on the
field already. In the second variant, which can be used even for heavier tractors, a
benefit is in an improved self-cleaning ability of wheel blades and that they can be
folded easily by riding backwards. Following the completion of work and upon arrival
at yard, they must be thoroughly cleaned, preferably by water pressure, because
drying clay may cause no-tipping of blades. Finally, the fact that speaks in favour of
boots should be noted. Although V-shaped blades had the same traction area as
extensible blades, with wheels equipped with extensible blades also tyres were
engaged and still had comparable drawbar pull results.
At the present, the trend of tractor design is aimed at high universality and possibility
to equip the tractor with various attachments (Hujo et al., 2012). Steel boots and
wheels equipped with auto-extensible blades can be manufactured for various types
of tractors wheels.
Acknowledgements
Supported by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic, project VEGA no.
1/0857/12 “Reduction of unfavourable impacts of agricultural and transport machinery
on environment”
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